Tod Companion announced yesterday on LinkedIn that he has joined the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) as Senior Advisor to the Deputy Undersecretary. In this role, Companion will support DHS S&T Leadership on R&D, health security and change management.
With a career at DHS beginning in 2008, Companion has built a track record in federal program management and science-based policy. His prior roles include Director of the Plum Island Animal Disease Center, where he oversaw research on critical animal disease threats that impact both public health and national biosecurity. Companion also served as Program Manager Coordinator in Mission Capability Support and as Deputy Director at the Federally Funded Research and Development Center Program Management Office.
Outside his tenure at DHS, Companion’s federal career began as a Presidential Management Fellow with NASA. His dedication to science and education includes teaching microbiology and human physiology at Judson College, showcasing a broad understanding of both scientific research and education.
Companion holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where he studied autoimmune disease mechanisms, molecular analysis, and public health.